Four people have been killed during an attack on Gurbi village in Kankara Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Gambo Isah, confirmed in a statement that the attack took place on Thursday afternoon.

He explained that the incident also left three other persons injured while scores of livestock were rustled after the bandits met fierce resistance by the local vigilante groups.

The four people killed included Alhaji Sanusi of Yar-Bakaje, Akilu Isuhu from Bawa Gidan Mai Ruwa, Nana Husaini of Unguwar Farin Dutse, and Muntari Sama’ila from Gidan Korau.

Isah revealed that the police got a distress call about the attack while the Commissioner of Police in Katsina, Sanusi Buba, directed the Divisional Police Officer at Kankara Division to lead operatives of Operation Puff Adder and vigilante groups to the scene.

He stated that the security personnel engaged the bandits in a shootout which led to the death of some of them while the others managed to escape with gunshots wounds.

“The team succeeded and killed 17 suspected bandits and recovered 80 cows, 108 sheep, and a donkey from the hoodlums earlier carted away from the village and other neighbouring villages,” the statement said.

According to the command’s spokesman, operatives are combing nearby bushes for the fleeing bandits in order to arrest them and recover their weapons.